Skoda Rapid Spaceback to cost from £14,340

Skoda’s new ‘value-line Audi A3 Sportback’ Rapid Spaceback will cost from £14,340 – £640 more than the Rapid hatch.

Deliveries of the new Rapid Spaceback, the ‘hatchback’ version of the Rapid ‘saloon’ (which also has a hatchback) will begin in January 2014.

Skoda justifies the price hike over the other Rapid hatch because it fits more equipment. Air con is standard on all variants, along with curtain airbags, front electric windows and a steering column adjustable for both height and reach.

The engine range is familiar: Skoda has ditched the base 1.2 75, so the range opens with the 1.2 TSI 86, with a 105hp version also available. Both engines are offered in fuel-saving GreenTech guise, as is the 1.4 TSI 122.

There are also GreenTech versions of the 1.6 TDI 90 and 1.6 TDI 105 diesels.

Standard on all version are a couple of sector-leading features, too: no compact family hatch has this much rear legroom or headroom, while the 415-litre boot is pretty impressive too (a VW Golf has 380 litres).

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